Questions tagged [house-rules]
House rules are small fan-created additions and replacements to core rules in a rules set, and this tag should be used when there are locally-created rules at the core of the question. In most cases, they are not officially sanctioned by the designer, in contrast to optional rules (see the [optional-rules] tag). For creation of substantial new content or rules subsystems, use the [homebrew] tag instead.
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What are the consequences of expanding intelligence uses?
I was listening to the commentary of several folks on YouTube regarding the Scion of the Three Rogue and a consistent concern that they had was the subclass' design of tying the uses of some of its ...
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Is it unbalancing to allow Dispel Magic to be used on Wall of Force?
One of my biggest irritations with Tier 3 and 4 play tends to be directed towards the shutdown potential that the spells Wall of Force and Forcecage impose on the game. Specifically with regards to ...
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My DM wants to replace Legendary Resistance with a houserule. How would this change control effects in combat?
The DM of my main table has recently decided that he doesn't like the mechanics of Legendary Resistance. In our most recent session, he expressed that it "was no fun for anybody", since ...
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Is it safe to use the dnd 3.5 skill system in pathfinder 1e?
I really like the DND 3.5 skill point system, I think it opens up more doors to make different choices, but I like the Pathfinder system much better for many other things like classes (I intend to ...
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Are there any dangerous consequences when allowing spending inspiration on rerolls?
In D&D 5e Inspiration can be spent to create an advantage. My group introduced a house rule:
If you fail a d20 roll you could've used Inspiration on, but before DM narrates the effects of this ...
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Will being able to "mix-and-match" subclass features break the game?
I'm wondering what the impact of a house rule that would allow players to choose which subclass to get features from whenever they would get a subclass feature. For example, a wizard could get ...
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What would happen if characters gained resistance to spells proportional to their martial level?
I am considering the potential implications of a house rule for Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition. The rule is as follows:
A character's "Martial Level" is calculated by determining their ...
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Is it unbalancing to let off-guard stack?
In my current game, I'm playing a Scoundrel Rogue which gives me a lot of opportunities to leave opponents off-guard via successful feints. In addition, we have a couple of other melee-oriented ...
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How would this extra spellcasting rule affect game balance?
I once heard of a D&D 5th edition group who played using various house rules. One such rule was as follows:
As a bonus action, a spellcaster may cast any cantrip, 1st level spell, or 2nd level ...
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How unbalanced would it be to change the duration of the Expeditious Retreat spell to "Concentration, until the end of a long rest"?
I have been playing Baldur's Gate 3, and the rules in the computer game are slightly different than the ones in paper 5e.
One that I found surprisingly OK in the game was that the duration of several ...
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What effects would allowing to flank with reach have on game balance?
One of my players asked me recently if I would allow their character, who has 10ft. reach, gain advantage from flanking while still using their reach.
I am aware that RAW this would not work since you ...
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Would it harm game balance to allow potions to be self-administered with a bonus action?
Potion usage costs an action according to RAW, as stated in the DMG on page 139:
Drinking or administering a potion takes an action.
However, I have heard of GM's house-ruling that PC's may use a ...
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Does Tiamat's Breath Weapon Circumvent Circle of Power?
Tiamat has the Limited Magic Immunity trait, I know that much.
Unless she wishes to be affected, Tiamat is immune to spells of 6th level or lower. [...]
However, the last portion of the 5th level ...
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House ruling Darkness Blindnes and Obscured [closed]
Background
I am DMing Curse Of Stradh - and there is a lot of Fog in Barovia. The party have characters with and without dark-vision. I am not really happy with how light, darkness and obscurement ...
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Is this homebrew tweak to the Druid class balanced?
Druids are great, but Wild Shape has some subtle frustrations.
I'm near the end of a mid-level (5–12) campaign in which I played as a Circle of the Moon Druid, and our group may continue on to a high-...
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What are the consequences of changing the rule for casting multiple spells in a turn to "You can spend no more than one spell-slot each turn"?
The D&D 5e rules for casting multiple spells in one round are a frequent source of confusion across tables in my experience. While the rule is just a line of text
You can’t cast another spell ...
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Flying sidecar mechanics [closed]
So here's the deal. Currently I'm playing a level 8 goliath, barb 6/fighter 2. Totem barbarian, 2nd totem is bear. Str 18. We also have a homebrew rule that allows my character to increase by a size ...
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Is Heightened(4th) Silence spell balanced?
The second level spell Silence can be heightened to 4th level, when its description is as follows:
Heightened (4th) The spell effect emanates from the touched creature, silencing all sound in or ...
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How will this static Initiative houserule affect game balance?
In my current D&D group all the PCs have a static Initiative (8 + Proficiency + Dex + any other bonuses) while enemies and NPCs keep rolling the original way (d20 dice roll + Dex). This enables us ...
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Will this Ritual Caster house rule break the game?
The House Rule
The prerequisite for the Ritual Caster feat changes to “Trained in
Arcana, Heal, Nature, or Religion”.
In order to master a ritual, a player must be trained in the relevant skill (e.g. ...
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What would be the impact if I allowed Barbarian's Unarmored Defense to stack with Lizardfolk's Natural Armor?
I am going to preface this question with the fact that yes, I am well aware they are separate AC calculations that you choose between. I am simply posing a theoretical question that warrants deeper ...
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When would I give a checkpoint to my D&D party that they can return to if they die?
My sister said she didn't like how in D&D you can die, and suggested checkpoints, what would be the best way to do that, should I have them save whenever they want, or just after major bosses?
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What would be the impact if I let Hand of Harm be used more than once, like Hand of Healing?
In Tasha's Cauldron of Everything, the Way of Mercy Monastic Tradition grants both Hand of Healing and Hand of Harm at 3rd level. Hand of Healing/Harm describe their effects as using 1 ki point to ...
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Do any odd complications arise when I houserule that you can recover a single arrow fired into battle?
Refer to: Is ammunition recoverable and reusable?
You can't recover a single valuable magic arrow fired into battle due to the general rule of rounding down applying to the weapon property that lets ...
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Can a Doppelganger buy Changeling racial feats?
The Changeling race in D&D 3.5 has a history defined as
They evolved through the union of doppelgangers and humans, eventually becoming a separate race distinct from either ancestral tree.
In D&...
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